# 
## Overview

mysqli provides a function that starts the query return row from an nth row as indicated. This can be done using **`mysqli_data_seek()`**. 

The **`mysqli_data_seek()`** function will cause the result pointer in your query to be adjusted to an arbitrary row in the result-set. With this, you can point to a particular row and start to read your result from there.

## Why not use SQL `OFFSET`

To achieve what is described above, we can also use the `OFFSET` clause to start out fetching from a certain row.  The difference here is that with the `OFFSET` clause, the query result skipped the first few rows as indicated in the offset. 

With **`mysqli_data_seek()`**  all the results set as indicated from the query are available but you only want to fetch from a particular row downwards. 

You can free up the result set later in your script. All the result set returned from the query will be available to you for use.

## Syntax
```
mysqli_data_seek(result,offset);
```
## Parameters
* **`result`**: This is the query result to be chopped.
* **`offset`**: an integer indicating the row where you wish to start fetching contents



Below is a diagrammatic representation of what is obtainable using the `mysqli_data_seek()` function:

## Code
In the code below:
* A database connection was created.
* A select query was made and the result was saved in the variable `$result`.
* This result was checked for existence. In this case, the result set will be chopped off till the `row number 14`, leaving it with `row 15` downwards.
* The results that are left were fetched and displayed on the screen.
* The seek was ended using  `mysqli_free_result()` function and the database connection closed.

 <?php
$dbcon=mysqli_connect("localhost","user","password","dbname");
// Check connection
if (mysqli_connect_errno())
  {
  echo "Failed to connect to MySQL: " . mysqli_connect_error();
  }
// write a SELECT statement
$sqlset="SELECT names,age FROM students ORDER BY age";
//query the database with the SELECT statement.
$result=mysqli_query($dbcon,$sqlset)
// check that the query worked and run some codes
if ($result)
  {
  // Seek to row number 15
  mysqli_data_seek($result,14);

  // Fetch row
  $row=mysqli_fetch_row($result);

  printf ("names: %s age: %s\n", $row[0], $row[1]);

  /* Free result set so that you can now get all result
  available and ready for use again.*/
  mysqli_free_result($result);
}
// close database connection
mysqli_close($dbcon);
?> 

## Code
In the code below:
* A database connection was created.
* A select query was made and the result was saved in the variable `＄result`.
* This result was checked for existence. In this case, the result set will be chopped off till the `row number 14`, leaving it with `row 15` downwards.
* The results that are left were fetched and displayed on the screen.
* The seek was ended using  `mysqli_free_result()` function and the database connection closed.

What is PHP mysqli_data_seek() function?

Overview

Why not use SQL OFFSET

Syntax

Parameters

Code

Why not use SQL `OFFSET`